May 24, 2010

Sumter County, FL Criminal Attorney News :: Sumter Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit Charges Man for Child Porn

According to local news, a Webster, Florida man was charged with ten (10) counts of Possession of Child Pornography. The presiding first appearance judge set his bond at $50,000. He will be prosecuted in Bushnell, Florida.

It is reported that the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office’s Cyber Crimes Unit, along with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, had long suspected the individual of allegedly possessing the content and executed a search warrant assumingly regarding same this week.

It is alleged the material was stored on the Sumter County man’s laptop computer.
As is often the case, the defendant will immediately look to the warrant for his first legal challenge. This is a good place to start because the arrest warrant is what placed the officers at his home for his arrest and ultimately seizure of his computer. As a secondary issue, it will need to be investigated exactly how these images were found to be downloaded onto this man’s computer. Often times, the reasons for the initial arrest and search warrant and reasons for these pictures being downloaded are linked. In contrast, when those items are not linked, a common source of problems for the prosecution is these types of cases is involuntary downloads.

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June 14, 2009

Florida Sex Crimes Attorney News Update: Sumter County, FL Sheriff’s Office Deputy Arrested for Sexual Battery on Child Under 12

In what will no doubt be the subject of rumor mills in Sumter County, Florida for some time, a Deputy from the Sumter County S.O. has been arrested for the very serious offense of Sexual Battery on a child under the age of 12. This offense is a Capital Felony under Florida Law.

According to two news sources, the investigation, which was mostly done by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (F.D.L.E.) began in the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office (S.C.S.O.) where it was learned that the target of the allegation was a Sheriff’s Deputy. The information was then turned over to F.D.L.E. according to reports. The timeline of this alleged transfer of the investigation will certainly be a source of discussion during the defense of this case, as both the family of the victim and the defendant may have been unduly prejudiced by the S.C.S.O. being involved at any level.

The Deputy was taken into custody with no bond. The Sheriff’s office has reportedly suspended the officer as well. It is unknown at this time if the local State Attorney’s Office will handle this file or if it will be turned over to an outside SAO. Most cases involving local law enforcement are handled by outside prosecutors.

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